We Tried It: Deborah Lippmann Punk Rock Collection

I've never been one for nail art. I see my nails as an opportunity to complete my outfit, not compete with it. I'll admit, my typical navy or coral nail polish could use an upgrade, but I don't want to look like I'm back in junior high trying to combat my oppressive school uniform with outlandish nails. I knew there had to be a sophisticated middle ground, so I picked up Deborah Lippmann's new Punk Rock Collection, a trio of polishes named for punk anthems (think: the Ramones "I Wanna Be Sedated").

This may look like your average nail polish in the bottle, but when dried, the polish turns textured -- a gritty texture ... gritty like cement. Sounds exactly like what you want on your nails, right? I was apprehensive, too, but the polishes dry ridiculously fast -- an instant, edgy look with zero effort. And the texture adds dimension and personality to a manicure without turning into a nail art sideshow.

I tried "I Fought the Law," a rich navy, and "Pretty Vacant," a ghostly grey. The third color in the collection, "I Wanna Be Sedated," is ... chartreuse. I'm not gonna lie -- I'd have to be sedated to wear that shade out in public. There were collective groans of "ewwww" around the office when we saw the color in the flesh.

But mark my words: this quirky polish is dead-on for Fall 2013's punk revival. It worked on runway models during Fashion Week, and it'll work on trendsetters, but this is not a polish you'll be wearing to board meetings or PTA gatherings. The new Lippmann collection sells for $19/bottle, which is steep, but categorically, "affordable luxury." It's available online and in select stores, including Barney's and Nordstrom's.